This Almond Raspberry Cake with White Chocolate Amaretto Buttercream Frosting is a total showstopper! Featuring four layers of light and fluffy almond cake, raspberry filling, and creamy white chocolate amaretto cream, this cake is decadently sweet! A must try if you love raspberry almond desserts!
Almond Raspberry Cake
This stunning cake features two of my all-time favorite flavors: almond and raspberry! And it features them in multiple forms! The cakes themselves get their almond flavor from almond extract. They bake up moist and fluffy, but dense enough to be sliced and layered.
It’s important they’re a little dense, because they’re going to be layered with raspberry jam AND white chocolate buttercream! The two will slightly blend together when you slice into the cake, which create almost a white chocolate raspberry buttercream… that’s been spiked with amaretto!!! It’s heavenly! But definitely on the sweeter side – as is almost anything involving white chocolate!
And the final touch, a mountain of fresh raspberries on top! I just threw them by the handful for an organic look, but you can definitely arrange them neater for a more polished appearance! I also pressed thinly sliced almonds all around the outside of the cake. This adds a delightful crunch and makes the entire cake look so beautiful!
This is one of those cakes people will think you bought from a fancy bakery!!!
Let’s Bake Cake
This is essentially my white cake recipe, but with a few tiny changes, and almond extract!
You’ll need two 9″ cake pans! Be sure to spray the pans well with nonstick baking spray and then line the bottoms of the pans with parchment paper. Think of this as your insurance policy for when it comes time to remove the cakes from the pans!
Next, beat your room temperature butter and sugar until light and fluffy! A stand mixer fitted with a paddle attached or an electric hand mixer is needed for this part! Next, toss in your eggs whites. Finally, add in the dry ingredients, alternating with the liquid ingredients. Be sure to mix just until the flour mixture disappears! Over mixing is going to give you a dry and very dense cake. So mix as slowly and as little as possible to bring the batter together.
Also, don’t skip the cake flour! All-purpose flour will not give you the same results. I strongly suggest weighing your flour with a digital kitchen scale so you know you’re using the right amount. Too much flour is another reason cakes come out bone dry!
Finally, bake! My cakes were ready at exactly 25 minutes, but depending on your oven and the type of cake pan you use, yours could take up to 30 minutes! Or longer if you use a thick glass or ceramic type dish. So just keep an eye on the baking time! You’ll know the cakes are done when they’re golden, risen, and a toothpick inserted in the center of a cake comes out clean!
Make the Frosting
While the cakes are cooling, make your frosting! First, you’ll need to melt your white chocolate! You can do this in the microwave or in a double boiler. But make sure you use real white chocolate and not chocolate chips! You’ll want to let your melted chocolate cool until it’s tepid.
Next, beat your butter until smooth and creamy. Add in the powdered sugar, a little bit at a time, and beat smooth. MAKE SURE YOU SIFT YOUR POWDERED SUGAR!! Otherwise your frosting will be clumpy. I use a fine-mesh strainer for this! Toss in your heavy cream and amaretto. And finally, fold in the white chocolate and salt! This frosting is very sweet, so don’t skip the salt! It helps balance out the sweetness.
Assemble
Assembly this cake might sound scary, but I promise, you can do it! You’ll need a long serrated knife to slice the cakes in half. Try to get them as even as possible, but don’t worry if they’re a little wonky. Frosting and jam will cover any “flaws”.
You’ll top the bottom layer with a 1/2 cup of frosting and a 1/4 cup of jam. I like this brand of raspberry jam, but use whatever you prefer! Then top with the second layer of cake, and repeat this process with the remaining cake layers. For the top cake layer, only add frosting! And then use remaining frosting to cover the sides. Finally, top with fresh raspberries and press sliced almonds around the sides of the cake. And viola! You have a stunning cake sure to impress!
Ok, so jump to the recipe below and get baking! I’ll see you next week with more bright and sunny Spring recipes!
More Cake Recipes:
- Almond Amaretto Pound Cake
- Lemon Raspberry Cake
- White Chocolate Cranberry Bundt Cake
- 5-Ingredient Raspberry Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies
- Chocolate Raspberry Cake
White Chocolate Almond Raspberry Cake
Ingredients
For the Almond Cake:
- 2 and 1/2 cups cake flour, sifted (315 grams)
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 and 1/2 cups (298 grams) granulated sugar
- 6 large egg whites, at room temperature, lightly beaten until foamy
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons almond extract
- 3/4 cup (170 grams) whole milk, at room temperature
- 2/3 cup (152 grams) sour cream, at room temperature
For the White Chocolate Amaretto Buttercream Frosting:
- 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 and 1/2 cups (283g/10 ounces) confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon heavy cream
- 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons amaretto liqueur
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 6 ounces (170g) quality white chocolate, melted and cooled for 10 minutes
Assembly and Garnish:
- 1 cup raspberry preserves
- 1 cup fresh raspberries
- 1 cup thinly sliced almonds
Instructions
For the Almond Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Generously grease the bottom and sides of two 9-inch round cake pans; line with parchment paper rounds and set aside until needed.
- In a large mixing bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.
- Gradually add in the sugar. Once all of the sugar has been added, beat on high speed for 2 minutes.
- Reduce the speed to low and add in the egg whites, a little bit at a time, beating well after each addition, and scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- In a spouted measuring cup, combine the vanilla extract, almond extract, milk, and sour cream. Mix until evenly combined.
- On low speed, add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating it with the liquid milk/sour creamy mixture, beginning and ending with the flour, and mixing until just combined.
- Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans and smooth the tops.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until lightly brown around the edges and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cakes comes out clean. Cool the cakes in the pans places on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Then invert the cake layers onto cooling racks and cool completely.
For the White Chocolate Amaretto Buttercream Frosting:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a handheld electric mixer, beat the butter on medium-speed until completely smooth. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add in the confectioners' sugar, beating until all of the sugar is completely combined.
- Add in the salt, cream, and amaretto, and almond extract and beat smooth.
- Add in the white chocolate and beat smooth. Once all of the ingredients have been incorporated, increase the speed to medium-high and beat for a minute.
Assembly and Garnish:
- Using a long, serrated knife, slice each cake in half horizontally, so that you have 4 even layers.
- Place one cake layer on a large plate or cake stand. Spread 1/2 cup of the frosting on top of the cake, covering it completely, then spread a 1/4 cup of raspberry preserves on top of the frosting.
- Top with another cake layer, and repeat the layering process, ending with the last cake layer on top. Spread all remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake.
- Using your hands, gently press the sliced almonds all around the sides of the cake. Then top with fresh raspberries!
- Allow the cake to set for 20 minutes before slicing. Then serve, or store, in the refrigerator, for up to 2 days. Bring to room temperature before serving!
Cindy says
Just finished making this. It looks beautiful and I can’t wait to eat it tomorrow for my hubbys birthday. I used Bobs red mill gluten free 1 to 1 baking flour.
Brittnie Kerzich says
How did it turn out with the GF flour? I have the same brand and I want to make it for a gathering with a handful of friends who are GF.
Inge says
The absolute most delicious cake I have ever made in my life- and I bake a lot of cakes! I took it to a ladies event and a few of us ate the whole things! Gah, it was just so perfect. Wouldn’t change a thing about it!
Karen says
Hi! I see it says it’s the same as your white cake but here it says to use cake flour and on your white cake you didn’t use cake flour. Which one should we follow? Another question, can I put the almonds as part of the filling with the raspberry jam? I want to add fondant to the cake so I can’t put the almonds outside. Would that taste good? Thank you!
Missy says
Chi Ashley San I use almond flour in place of ap flour in this recipe?
Karen says
Hi! Can I add the almonds inside the cake with the raspberry jam? Inside of the cake and not outside since I want to use fondant for decoration, would that work?
Brittany McFarland says
This cake was absolutely amazing! I decided to splurge on myself for my birthday and whip this up (made my own raspberry compote) and it was most and so delicious.
Elisiane Campos says
How you did your raspberry compote? do u mind share it? I want to make this cake for my 50th birthday this coming June
Cynthia Gay says
I made this for Christmas my family loved it.
Ashley Manila says
I’m so happy to hear that, Cynthia! Happy holidays 🙂
deb speese says
Can I make this cake ahead of time and freeze before frosting?
Mary says
This was great, I did make my own raspberry filling ( so easy). And I did whip the eggs before adding them to the cake batter. I would make it again.
Heena P. says
If I want to make the cake slightl less sweet, how much would you recommend I use of the white chocolate, the confectioners sugar and regular sugar?